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Help On First Hammock Purchase

Ive been looking up different setups for hammocks for a while now and think its time to finally pull the trigger.

Having a hard time deciding since there are so many choices and wanted to know what the community thought would be best for my needs.

Specs:
6 foot
220lbs

Hammock Needs:
Bug net
Tarp
Would like to get a system that has the capability for colder weather if needed(Live in Mid-west). What temps can certain hammocks be good in?

I see HH is having a Spring sale right now on there SuperShelter with Explorer Ultralite Classic for $290 shipped. I would have them change the suspension to the 300lb limit, change to hex tarp. This would give me a pretty decent setup to start with since it includes snakeskins, some thermal insulation and a respected hammock for under $300 bucks.

My buddy has the ENO and its a pretty decent hammock for cheap, but I think it will add up quick once I add in all the features I want.

hmmmm....first, welcome.
The hammock itself really doesn't do anything as far as temps go. That said, I got the new Warbonnent XLC with the winter top cover and that does seem to add some warmth. The Top QUilt and Under quilt is where the warmth is trapped from.
I think almost any hammock would be fine for your height and weight.
You could check with some hangers in your area and set up a time to go check out their rigs. There is a Sticky map on here someplace that shows where people are (a google map).
Attend a group hang near you?
And, if you have some top choices narrowed down, consider purchasing the hammock, TQ and UQ here in the For-Sale area. I've bought all mine used here and am pleased. Don't get too caught up in suspension choices. Those are easy to switch say from straps, to whoopies, to UCR, back to straps if you like them best.
Start a spread sheet. With NEW hammocks, what you like about each, cost, weight.
Have that handy when shopping the for-sale forum so you know "yeah....that is one of my top hammocks....and OH YEAH....Great price!!!"
So it is missing a few features (has straps and you want whoopies). Buy it and change it out. If you decide you don't like it, change back (keep your whoopies), buy the next hammock, then sell the first hammock with the straps back on them for someone else to enjoy.

All of the above for tarps also. There are so many options. Sil-nylon, cuben ($$$ but super light), doors, add on or made on, tie outs. Again. spread sheet, shop for a nice used one.

Call me Junior

Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork
"For a couple of bucks, get a weird haircut and waste your life away" Bryan Adams....
"Hammock hangs are where you go into the woods to meet men you've only known on the internet so you can sit around a campfire to swap sewing tips and recipes." - sargevining on HF

If you are in a hurry then buy away and have fun with your setup as you spend the hours needed to learn how the hanging thing works.

If you are not in a hurry then I suggest not buying yet but put in the time needed to go to some big hang or the other where you can see different setups and with kind permission try out different hammocks and setups.

I'm sure many others will chime in with contradictory advice, but that's what the internet is for. Good luck!

//
“Stories set in the Culture in which Things Went Wrong tended to start with humans losing or forgetting or deliberately leaving behind their terminal. It was a conventional opening, the equivalent of straying off the path in the wild woods in one age, or a car breaking down at night on a lonely road in another.”
― Iain M. Banks, The Player of Games

One of the reasons there are so may choices, is because almost all of them are good choices. The differences are often touted by each of us as reasons why we chose x vs y, but in the end, we would have likely been happy with either. Some of us even use different hammocks or accessories at different times but only because we have the options to do so. Had we only had a single setup, we would be fine with that. There is no need to go test drive, however if you have that option it might be nice. I would advise that you pull the trigger on the setup you seem to like the most. In the end you will either love hammocks regardless of the hammock, or you won't. In some rare circumstances it is the type of hammock which is the reason, but usually it is due to the style of the individual which isn't the right fit. Oh, and welcome to the addiction!

There are as many different ways to go about building a hammock set up as their are people...really? Kinda like asking what oil do you use in your car.

I have 4 or 5 different hammock right now. None of them will keep you warm without adding in insulation.

You need:

Hammock - lots to choose from like bridge, Hennessey, War Bonnet, JrB, DIY, this list goes on and on.
Suspension - Same thing here: whoopies, ropes, straps. Lots of differing ways to do it.
Bug nets - (assuming you need one and I do) integrated like the HH or non integrated like the ENO net just to name a few
Bottom Insulation - Lots here too: Super shelter from HH, UQ from HF cottage vendors, ENO makes a UQ. Common thought is below 70F you need bottom insulation.
Top Insulation - TQ of synthetics or down, repurposed sleeping bag. I use a fleece blanket in the summer time
Tarp - Now this is a very long list and HF cottage vendors do a great job of making them. I use either a BCUSA (internet search will find this forum) 10x10 or a Kelty 12x12 because I like having a porch mode and some privacy in camp grounds.

So which do you need? That depends. I do not like fiddling around with my set up. I want to hang it and forget it. That is very different than some folks here who are willing to spend a lot of time getting everything just right. Neither way is right or wrong...just different.

Because I don't like to mess around I find a HH set up with a JRB The Nest UQ fits the bill for me. I find the lay to be good and The Nest to be a great 3 almost 4 season UQ where I live. Only thing I changed out was the tarp because I wanted more coverage but I did not need to as the HH stock tarp will keep me dry if I hang it according to the instructions.

I also have an ENO with bug net and tarp. The TQ and UQ from the HH work just fine with it. I don't use it because I don't like the lay in it. It is a spare that I loan out when friends want to try out hammock camping before they purchase.

I have a couple more DIY and such that all need to be fiddled with They don't get used much at all and are pretty much in the "kids" pile. I don't really care if they get hard use or not.

There are as many different ways to go about building a hammock set up as their are people...really? Kinda like asking what oil do you use in your car.

I have 4 or 5 different hammock right now. None of them will keep you warm without adding in insulation.

You need:

Hammock - lots to choose from like bridge, Hennessey, War Bonnet, JrB, DIY, this list goes on and on.
Suspension - Same thing here: whoopies, ropes, straps. Lots of differing ways to do it.
Bug nets - (assuming you need one and I do) integrated like the HH or non integrated like the ENO net just to name a few
Bottom Insulation - Lots here too: Super shelter from HH, UQ from HF cottage vendors, ENO makes a UQ. Common thought is below 70F you need bottom insulation. (You can also try pads if that's something you have already)
Top Insulation - TQ of synthetics or down, repurposed sleeping bag. I use a fleece blanket in the summer time
Tarp - Now this is a very long list and HF cottage vendors do a great job of making them. I use either a BCUSA (internet search will find this forum) 10x10 or a Kelty 12x12 because I like having a porch mode and some privacy in camp grounds.

So which do you need? That depends. I do not like fiddling around with my set up. I want to hang it and forget it. That is very different than some folks here who are willing to spend a lot of time getting everything just right. Neither way is right or wrong...just different.

Because I don't like to mess around I find a HH set up with a JRB The Nest UQ fits the bill for me. I find the lay to be good and The Nest to be a great 3 almost 4 season UQ where I live. Only thing I changed out was the tarp because I wanted more coverage but I did not need to as the HH stock tarp will keep me dry if I hang it according to the instructions.

I also have an ENO with bug net and tarp. The TQ and UQ from the HH work just fine with it. I don't use it because I don't like the lay in it. It is a spare that I loan out when friends want to try out hammock camping before they purchase.

I have a couple more DIY and such that all need to be fiddled with They don't get used much at all and are pretty much in the "kids" pile. I don't really care if they get hard use or not.

So which oil do you use in your car :P

Slow and steady. I started with an ENO Doublenest and a BCUSA 10x10 tarp in 95°F summer weather in Illinois and at about 2am, needed to grab a cover because it had got cooler and I had a chill, hehe

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

I see most of the TQ and UQ setups can get pretty pricey. What temp would you recommend for the Supershelter from HH and do you think the $295 deal for everything is good or should I still try to source used?

I see most of the TQ and UQ setups can get pretty pricey. What temp would you recommend for the Supershelter from HH and do you think the $295 deal for everything is good or should I still try to source used?

BillyBob58 has done a lot of research/work on the SS from HH. Here is the poll that kind of started it all.

You might be able to find a set up used if you are willing to wait around. But, I would say, be cautious of any HH that has had modifications done to it. I have seen many cases where people buy one, modify it, then discover it no longer lays good. They then end up selling it. That is not all cases but just be aware of it happening.

Search here for tablecloth hammocks and make a DIY. It will be long enough and wide enough to be comfortable. It is also an easy DIY project to do. Many of the "cheaper" solutions that are mass produced are either too short, too narrow, or won't hold much weight.